It is known in the art of beverage carrier packages to provide a package having a bottom panel, a pair of side panels and a top panel, all hingedly attached together with a handle formed in the top panel of the carrier and with end closure flaps being formed on each end of the carrier. The end closure flaps may be locked together by locking and latching flaps as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,143, issued on Aug. 2, 1983.
It is also known to provide dispensing features in packages such as beforementioned which are designed to be torn out at the end closure flaps of the package and partly out of the sides of the package so that one can may be removed from the package at a time. Since the package contains several cylindrical shaped cans stacked on top of each other within the package it is foreseeable that when the tear out dispensing feature is torn out of the package, that more than one can would tend to roll out of the package unless some means were used to retain them in the package.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,681, issued Jul. 15, 1975, there are provided downwardly depending tabs formed by a tear out panel in the end closure flap to retain the cans in the package. The cans are removed one at a time by pulling the can through the tabs. Such a retaining means, while sufficient for an end closure flap type carton as typified in the cited reference would not necessarily be satisfactory for the Applicant's type of package. In this regard after removal of several cans in the package of the type shown in the cited reference, the downwardly depending tabs can be bent outwardly and thereby lose their holding ability for the remainder of the cans in the package.